Switching Teams
by KellyJade
Summary: A look at how Tamsin's been living, really. Because no one could live in their truck for that long and look that good, anyway.


Okay! So this is set pre-season finale, pre-bathtub. Post dawning though. Basically, this is Valkubus. Entirely Tamsin/Kenzi interaction – Bo is mentioned throughout. I own nothing. Enjoy! Review!

xxx

I didn't tell anyone I switched teams. Well anyone but Tammers, but that was less me telling her and more of a given.

Now get your dirty, dirty minds out of the gutter for a sec. Because I know what you're thinking. And no, I'm not getting down with Officer (un)Friendly, calm yourselves. I'm talking about the (admittedly weird) tendency I have to 'ship' my best friend with our closest friends. And as of a couple weeks ago – yeah, the Kenz has jumped off of the Wolf-man wagon. Dude has been there and done that (I've heard it through the walls), and I think he needs some serious alone time.

Bo-lone time? Meh, not my strongest. I'll get back to you.

Anyway, Team Dyson is now minus one awesome human. And well, despite what I've been telling my bestie… I haven't gone over to the Doc side. So where oh where might Kenzi's shipper heart be? Well, although it's still our little secret, I've been hitching my wagon to Tamsin's truck.

Seriously though – I _may_ have massively fucked up the engine on Bo's car. And I will be in some deep shiz if I don't get it fixed. "Hey Tam-slam, this the right cable?" I yell over the hulking black vehicle. "Because I hooked it up to the engine regardless and I would love to not explode when I start the car, soooo."

I can't see her at all, but I can feel the eye roll through her voice. "Is it the green one?" Then her blonde head pops up into my vision, hair mussed and an oil stain across one pale cheek. "Also, would you can it with the cutesy nicknames?"

I quickly look down at the cable I've attached to the hulking black truck. It's green. "All systems go!" I declare, shooting my thumbs up signal over at the valkyrie. Then I stand up, and give her my best winning smile. "And you know you love my terms of endearment! C'mon babe, it's youthful!"

She fixes me with a deadpan blank stare. "Dude, I'm like a thousand years old."

Oh right. Meh! I shrug and bounce over to the other side of the truck to stand next to her. I rub my greasy hands on the oil stained rag that dangles out of the back pocket of her jeans and then clap her on her wifebeater clad shoulder. "All the more reason you need your daily dose of the Kenz," I remark, still grinning.

"Greeeat," she mumbles, but I can see a smile hidden just behind her patented perma-scowl. Her brows furrow and she takes a step back as her eyes flash over our cars, linked by power cord. "Okay, this should work," she says after a second. "Wait til I say, then start the engine."

"My life is in your hands," I tell her dramatically, and I hop into Bo's old beater. Seriously, succubus could use a new ride. I wait til I see Tamsin get into her truck, and then I see her thinly muscled arm stick out the window, hands formed into a thumbs up.

"Hit it!" her voice carries back to me.

"I hope this woooorkss…." I sing to myself, and I start the ignition, one eye half closed. To my delight, the engine whines into gear. "Yes!" I squeal, and as I see Tamsin hop out of her car I gleefully cut my own engine and stick my head out my window, grinning. "Yes, Officer, I _am_ aware of how fast I'm gonna be going."

I get out of Bo's car to the valkyrie's sigh. "If I'm going to be around you any longer I need a drink," she declares.

I grin at her. "Sweetheart, that's like, my motto." She laughs curtly, and I loop my arm with hers. "Lead the way, Tam-Tam I am."

Groaning, she very quickly unhooks our arms (at least I tried!) and starts to walk around the corner to our favourite bar. It's a human one, but hey, that's kind of necessary. Seeing as she's Dark Fae and I'm the human charge of the unaligned (but largely light) succubus. We're an odd couple by your least stringent standards, and so here we are.

Arriving at the bar, we take our seats – around the back, but still close enough to the bartender to be able to catch his eye with very little effort. Tamsin is _damn_ good at it. I can't figure out if it's because of her through the roof intimidation factor, her admittedly outstanding looks or the fact that she's had literally centuries of practice. At this point I've decided it's probably a combination of the three. "Two gigantic beers," I say as the barkeep heads over (after receiving a very unmistakable look from Detective Badass.)

"Medium brew for her, dark as you've got for me," Tamsin quickly adds, her icy blue eyes flashing, as his mouth opens for clarification. "And don't keep us waiting." He nods, probably choking on his own tongue, and scurries away.

"You scare his unflattering pants off every time," I say as I see the poor guy trip over his feet to get us our drinks behind the bar. It is pretty hilarious, actually, I can't help snickering a bit. I turn back around to face my unlikely drinking buddy. "Don't you think he might like, spit in our beers? Give us sneeze-fries?"

"No," Tamsin smiles maliciously. She leans back comfortably in her chair. "He really won't."

Even I shiver a bit at that smile. "You're right," I concede quickly. "He won't." I slide back in my own chair. "Eesh, am I ever glad that car is fixed. I really managed to mangle it. Thanks for the jump."

"You owe me one," she replies, as two appropriately gigantic tankards are set on the table in front of us. The bartender mumbles something and _poof_ – he's out of there. Tamsin looks back at me nonchalantly as he disappears to hide behind the bar. "You did a damn number on that thing."

I raise an eyebrow. "Hey there Officer, let's just say we're even." I take a long drink from my beer. "I _am_ letting you sleep in my bed, if you recall."

After a healthy gulp of her own drink, she shoots me a quick glare. "A fact that you will still be sharing with _no one_," she hisses across the table, dangerous eyes flashing.

I grin at her. As much as the Tammers' Dark and Broody façade can make you fear for your life initially (Example 1: that poor bartender), I've gotten to know her well enough in the past little while to know she's alright. Well, as long as you're not a complete idiot. Or actually, even a little bit of an idiot.

Luckily I'm definitely neither of the above. I spent my time in the underground, in the black market, on the streets. I've seen my fair share of shit, and Tamsin's got the sense to know that. Too many people, both Fae and otherwise, pass me off as a brainless valley girl mid Goth faze. Those people usually end up with some very expensive weaponry embedded in their unwisely turned back.

So yeah, Tamsin's obviously not one of those people. Maybe that's one of the reasons I've come to like her so much. "I hope you're not complaining, valkyrie," I remark, still grinning at her. "Of course I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty certain my bed's more comfortable than the back of your truck."

"Yeah, yeah," the icy blonde acknowledges, gulping some more beer down. Swallowing, she looks at me, her expression at least a touch less hostile. "Thanks again. I do appreciate it."

I lift my beer in a silent toast. "No problem. Although…" I smile mischievously. "I hear Bo's bed is even more comfortable than mine. Plus I bet there'd be… added benefits."

Aaaand the glare is back. The blonde runs a hand exasperatedly through her hair. "Really? This again? Kenz, I'm not going to go for it. It's bad enough that you somehow figured out about my damn feelings – "

"Ahem – _Obvious,_" I fake cough into my hand.

" – _but,_" she continues, ignoring me, "You also insist on trying to get me to follow through? Kid, that is so not happening." She sighs, setting her now empty (we're not novice drinkers) tankard of beer back on the table. "There are so many… factors. It's just a really bad idea."

I put my own beer down (also empty), and poke a finger at her, my elbow resting on the table in front of us. "You have got to start trusting me more, babe." I check my watch. "C'mon, let's get out of here. Bo'll be out of the house, we can go home."

Getting up without a word, Tamsin throws a rumpled ten dollar bill down on the table, and swaggers for the door. One day, I really will pay her back for all those drinks. Really.

Our walk home is largely uneventful – I decide to leave Bo's car parked with Tamsin's until tomorrow. As I bodycheck the front door to get it open (note to self – grease hinges), Tamsin glances at her phone. She frowns. "Something wrong?" I ask.

"Dyson wants me in early tomorrow," she says curtly. "Guess I'm not showering, Bo will be here still."

I roll my eyes. "Gee, I wish there was a solution to this sneaking around. Like maybe, actually telling her you need a place to stay?"

The blonde cop walks deftly past me into the house. "Nooope," she replies forcefully, clearly hoping that I will get the hell off this topic.

I guess she doesn't know me _that_ well. I lean up against the wall, one hand on my hip, staring at her as she makes her way to the living space. "You could also tell her that you're, you know, hopelessly in love with her," I say bluntly.

Groaning, Tamsin drops onto the couch. "_Fuck_, Kenzi," she exclaims, frustrated beyond all belief. "I've told you a million times I can't!"

I stride across the room, and sit beside her, my hand on her knee. "And I've told you a million times you can! We're clearly just arguing over semantics here!" When I'm met with only a look that could turn Medusa herself to stone, I decide to change tactics. "Listen," I say, softer. "I do understand. There's some shit going down here that's over my head. I get that." The blonde continues to stare blankly at me, but doesn't make a move to retort, or indeed, bite my head off. So I continue. "But Bo fucking _lives_ for that shit. Her life is one big clusterfuck and whatever you've got going down – she will help you deal with it, girl! She really will!"

For a second, I think I maybe got through to her. She chews on her lip, icy blue eyes distracted, conflicted. But just when I think she might finally cave, she shakes her head roughly. "I really fucking can't, kiddo," she sighs. She throws herself back on the couch as my hope deflates. "You just don't get it."

Jesus Christ she's stubborn. Twisting my body so I'm facing the TV mounted on the wall, I sink into the couch beside Tamsin. Sighing, I reach out for her hand, and hold onto it. I guess it's a testament to how close we really have become that she holds on, too. "Tam-jam?" I say tentatively.

She moans halfheartedly, probably at the nickname. "I choose not to dignify that with a response," she grumbles. But still, she holds on to my hand.

I sit silently for a moment. Then decide – tomorrow. There's always tomorrow. That's the thing, kids. You can totally know that two people are perfect for each other, and just not be able to get them to do anything about it. And it makes you feel a little helpless, and it makes you feel a lot like your friends are dumbasses. But maybe… maybe tomorrow. "Let's go to bed, valkyrie," I state firmly. And I stand up off the couch, pulling my disgruntled houseguest up by her hand, which is still clutching mine.

"You are a real piece of work, you know," she grumbles.

"I choose to take that as a compliment," I reply, grinning at her.

It's about an hour later, when we're lying in bed, her on the left side, me on the right. And she speaks up. "Kenzi?"

I open one bleary eye to look at the clock. 2:30am. Ick. "Mhmm?" I reply, doing my best to sound conscious.

"Thank you," I hear her say. "Again. For everything. And don't think I'm ignoring you when you repeatedly, and annoyingly, bug me about Bo. I know you mean well. I'm trying to figure it out – I really am."

I smile into my pillow, and feel my heart warm. Fuck, I want her to be happy. "That's all I ask, Tam Tam."

That name? It's her least favourite. I feel her roll over from her side of the bed, so she's facing the wall opposite. "One day," she yawns, "I'm going to strangle you in your sleep, you little smart ass human."

Smiling still, I roll over too. And I curl up closer to Tamsin's back, wrapping my arm around her waist. I close my eyes. "Love you too," I murmur. And we drift off to sleep.


End file.
